Texas 4-H Practitioners

Sweetheart Dinner and Dance at the 4-H Center!

2012-01-26T10:24:00.000-08:00

Please join us for the 1st Annual Sweetheart Dinner & Dance at the Texas 4-H Conference Center. This event benefits Summer Youth Camps and will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 7 p.m to midnight! "The Crawfish Band" will also perform.

Tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased in advance. This price includes the buffet dinner and dance. Dress is semi-formal and attendees are asked to bring their own refreshments are requested.

If you are not able to attend this event, please consider a charitable donation to the Texas 4-H Foundation on behalf of the 4-H Conference Center Summer Youth Camps.

To purchase tickets and/or make a donation please mail a check to Texas 4-H and Youth Development Foundation 5600 FM 3021, Brownwood, Texas 76801 or call 325.784.5482

More News on "Deep in the Heart" Movie

2012-01-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

DEEP IN THE HEART - "Official Release Date" in "ALL TEXAS CINEMARK THEATERS" is February 17th.

County Extension Agents,

Listed below are some new items related to the upcoming release of "Deep in the Heart."

The lead character of the movie "Deep in the Heart", Jon Gries (who plays Mr. Wallrath) has sent Texas 4-Hers a personal invite to the movie! Please pass on to them!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5oHFqfq0Xo

Also, the Texas 4-H Foundation has developed a web page specific to the movie. To learn about the latest updates, click here:
http://www.texas4hfoundation.org/deepintheheart/

One other link I wanted to share on the 4-H Foundation site lists the theaters where the movie will be playing starting February 17th.
http://texas4hfoundation.org/deepintheheart/locations/

More to come! Please feel free to pass along!

4-H Volunteer Enrollment & Screening

2012-01-23T12:11:00.000-08:00

As we continue to screen and activate volunteer profiles in the 4-H CONNECT System, it's important to revisit the enrollment and screening requirements that pertain to 4-H volunteers.

Initial screening of a volunteer is conducted when he/she applies for a volunteer role with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Volunteers must be screened prior to fulfilling any volunteer roles. Re-screening through the YPS program is conducted every three years. However, volunteers must enroll annually by creating or re-activating their profile in the 4-H CONNECT online management system. For example, a volunteer that was screened in 2011 is exempt from additional screening until 2014. However, the volunteer must enroll as a 4-H volunteer every year. Enrollment and an active profile is required for any volunteer to register for an event in 4-H CONNECT.

Please share this information with your volunteers as needed and contact Courtney Dodd (cfdodd@ag.tamu.edu) if you have any questions.

2012 Texas 4-H Golf Challenge Camp

2012-01-23T11:28:00.001-08:00

The Texas 4-H and Youth Development is pleased to offer the first ever Texas 4-H Golf Challenge Camp. This two day camp provides youth 12-18 an opportunity to take an in depth look at the major components that make up the Texas 4-H Golf Challenge (sports nutrition, golf course/turf grass management, and the rules and etiquette of golf). During this two day event, youth will work with Texas A&M Faculty and Staff as well as golf professionals to learn more about the program. The camp will also give youth the opportunity to learn more about career opportunities related to the Golf Challenge and how to prepare for college. Lastly, youth will work with golf professionals to enhance their swing capabilities and compete in numerous skill activities. The event will take place April 27-29, 2012 in College Station. The cost to attend is $250 (includes lodging for two nights, meals, professional instruction, t-shirt, and golf instruction, transportation to and from locations). Registration is limited to the first 30 youth and will open February 1st on 4-H Connect. For more information please contact me at 979-845-6533. Thanks

2012 Texas 4-H Has Talent Announced!!

2012-01-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

It is an exciting year in Texas 4-H! As we prepare to move to Lubbock for 2012 there are a lot of things to be excited about. For the third straight year Texas 4-H is bringing its talent to Roundup. The 3rd annual Texas 4-H Has Talent Competition will showcase ten talented individuals from across the state. Each year more and more entries are sent to the State 4-H Office for judging and narrowed down to ten finalists. The deadline for all entries is April 1, 2012. Finalists will be selected and perform at Roundup on Tuesday, June 12, 2012. Please pass this information on to your 4-Hers so we can make this the biggest and best yet.

For more information please visit the following link.

Deep in the Heart Movie Trailer

2012-01-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

The new trailer for Deep in the Heart is now available. Click here for more information:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP_CrBNR8VM

"Deep in the Heart" reveals the true-life story of Mr. Richard "Dick" Wallrath. No one person has ever given more financially to the Texas 4-H and Texas FFA Scholarship Programs than Dick Wallrath. He has also provided tremendous financial assistance to 4-H and FFA members through major livestock show premium auctions.

We sincerely request that our Extension and 4-H Family support this emotion-packed documentary of Dick's life for two reasons. First, it could have an impact on your own life. And secondly, because of Mr. Wallrath’s continued generosity, a portion of all ticket sales will go to both Texas 4-H and Texas FFA to further strengthen their much needed scholarship programs.

Please promote the importance of the opening weekend of February 17^th. The success of this opening weekend will dictate their plan for nationwide release. Of course, the more success the movie has, the more funds are contributed to Texas 4-H and Texas FFA.

College Prep Resources

2012-01-13T13:18:00.000-08:00

Preparing for college is not something that is limited to graduating seniors. Most guidance counselors and university admissions advisors will tell you that once students enter high school, there are many things they can and should be doing to prepare for college. Extension and 4-H are in a very unique position when it comes to post-secondary education and college preparedness. Many county and district events have valuable partnerships with colleges and universities across the state. This is a valuable way to expose young people to higher education; and in many cases, it is the only opportunity a young person may have to visit a college/university campus.

Educational programs for 4-H members and 4-H parents are a great way to help 4-H members and 4-H families prepare for college. In fact, many college admissions offices are willing to come and conduct workshops for 4-H families. One unique opportunity is to have your local college admissions office conduct a FAFSA workshop for your 4-H families. This is especially helpful for families with high school seniors need to complete a 4-H Opportunity Scholarship application. There are infinite resources available to parents and families related to college preparedness. District 12 has compiled a website specifically to assist 4-H families in finding these resources and making sense of them. Visit their website at http://d124-h.tamu.edu/college/ that focuses on Applying, Paying, and Planning for college.

For more information, please contact Luis Saldana.

2012 4-H Volunteer Conference - Request for Workshop Proposals Deadline Approaching!

2012-01-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

The Texas 4-H & Youth Development Program will be sponsoring a statewide 4-H Volunteer Conference on July 27-29, 2012 in San Antonio. We are confident that this conference will help prepare and equip 4-H volunteers to lead and provide quality educational programs for the youth of Texas.

The conference committee is pleased to announce a request for workshop proposals for the 2012 Volunteer Conference. Any volunteer, County Extension Agent or Specialist is invited to submit a proposal to present a workshop at the conference. The deadline to submit a proposal is February 1st. More information and the online submission form can be accessed from the volunteer conference website, which is http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/volunteers/conference/

Please share this information with volunteers who may be interested in submitting a proposal and consider submitting a proposal yourself!

2012 Texas 4-H and Youth Development Volunteer Recognition Awards Packet

2012-01-11T11:19:00.001-08:00

The Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program is pleased to announce the 2012 award nomination process for our volunteers, Extension employees, and supporters through the 2012 Texas 4-H Volunteer Recognition Program.

Starting in 2012 ALL award applications will be submitted on-line through the Texas 4-H and Youth Development website. The application submission process will be from February 15th to March 15th. Any Extension employee, 4-H member and/or volunteer may make nominations for the awards. Therefore, County Extension Agents are encouraged to share this information with co-workers, volunteers and 4-H members. Self-nomination is discouraged.

The link to the on-line award application will be available on the homepage starting on February 15, 2012.

PRIOR HONOREES
A list of prior award winners is available on the Texas 4-H Website under the volunteer section. Please review this list to ensure the person you are nominating has not been honored with the award previously. An award can only be presented one-time to an individual and/or supporter.

NOMINATION DEADLINES
Nomination Application Submission Dates: February 15, 2012 to March 15, 2012
Notification to Award Winners:
April 1, 2012 to April 15, 2012

Information is also posted on the Texas 4-H and Youth Development website under the volunteer recognition section. Additionally, if you have any questions please feel free to contact Dr. Toby Lepley.

Bullying: A Primer for Youth Development Specialists - WEBINAR!

2012-01-02T14:18:00.001-08:00

Bullying: A Primer for Youth Development Specialists
Dr. Jamilia Blake
January 17, 2011, 11 a.m. Central

Bullying is a significant mental health and educational concern that has prompted federal and state legislation to thwart bullying among school-age youth. Unfortunately, much of the anti-bullying legislation is focused on the implementation of anti-bullying policies and programs in schools with limited attention devoted to how bullying should be addressed in out-of-school time programs, where children spend a significant amount of time interacting with same-age peers. The purpose of this webinar is to provide youth development practitioners with a primer on bullying. Specifically, information on evidenced-based practices for assessing bullying and information on how evidenced-based bullying prevention and intervention programs can be incorporated into current youth development program activities will be discussed.

Registration Link: http://tinyurl.com/BullyingWebinar

Mat Duerden, PhD
Assistant Professor – Extension Specialist
Coordinator, Sequor Youth Development Initiative
Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences
Texas A&M University
979-845-5983
duerden@tamu.edu

2012 Food Show Guidelines are Online

2012-01-02T07:25:00.001-08:00

The 2012 Food Show Guidelines have been revised with a new address to send paperwork and new email for submitting biographical statements and recipes.

You can find these changes on page 9 of the Guidelines.

The revised Guidelines are posted on the Family and Consumer Sciences website.

http://fcs.tamu.edu/food_and_nutrition/index.php

Please share this information with your Food Show contestants and leaders.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.

For more information, please contact Dr. Sharon Robinson.

Two Upcoming Dog Shows!

2011-12-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

Hood County is January 28 and entries are due January 21
Montgomery County is February 4 and entries are due January 21

These flyers regarding these shows are also available at http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/dogshow/index_youth_dogshow.php If you will, please forward this information to your Dog project members. Even if they are not ready to show, these are great opportunities to see what some of the classes are and be better prepared when they are ready to show.

Also the 2012 Texas 4-H Dog Show Rulebook is in the last stages of revision and should be available shortly at the same web site.

Harris County 4-H Revolution of Responsibility Award

2011-12-14T08:04:00.000-08:00

National 4-H Revolution of Responsibility Award Winner

Harris County 4-H Family Science Night, Houston, Texas

4-H National Youth Science Day inspired Harris County to form new 4-H Science partnerships that would build capacity for reaching youth audiences with exciting projects in science, engineering and technology.

In September, Texas AgriLife Extension and Harris County 4-H Urban Youth Development (UYD) partnered with Alief Independent School District After School Program (ASP) to bring the Wired For Wind experiment to diverse youth audiences. Extension staff secured $1,500.00 in grant funds for the project from Texas 4-H Science Liaison, Matt Tarpley in support of a “family science night” event.

Extension staff trained the Alief ASP site staff to teach one hour sessions on wind energy production using the Wired for Wind kits and curriculum to the third and fourth grade students at Outley Elementary School. Youth worked in teams to perform experiments and test different wind turbine designs. They used amp meters to test the level of energy produced by the turbines; recorded data; prepared graphs to illustrate the results; and event prepared a science research display and presentation.

On Oct. 6, 2011, Alief ASP and 4-H UYD hosted the Alief After School Family 4-H Science Night at Outley Elementary to showcase the youth projects and promote 4-H Science programs. Thirty-nine third and fourth grade youth presented their research and demonstrated the power of wind turbines to more than 60 of their peers, followed by a school-wide science night in which they presented their findings to over 150 youth and adults. Participants heard about the benefits of wind energy and the new green energy youth leaders helped the community recognize wind energy as a viable source of power.

The wind energy theme inspired opportunities to include other related learning stations at the event including Bubbleology (the science of bubbles); wind bag experiments to explore air pressure; and pin wheel designs built to harness the wind. These supplemental activities connected science to other aspects of green learning emphasizing science in all aspects of our daily lives.

Scholarship Training Recorded and Online

2011-12-13T09:19:00.001-08:00

Texas 4-H Opportunity Scholarship Centra Available for Viewing

The 4-H Opportunity Scholarship training which was conducted on Monday, December 12th is available for viewing for those thatwere unable to attend. To view the presentation, click on the following link: http://webconference.tamus.edu/GP/main/0000001786550000013304b01fb3a388.

The training covers the guidelines and requirements for applying for a Texas 4-H Opportunity Scholarship, as well as detailed instruction and direction for each of the application pages. The total presentation is approximately two hours in length.

Rockwall County Science of Ag Promo Piece

2011-12-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

Todd Williams, CEA Ag Rockwall County, has created and published a new Promotional Video for Rockwall Youth Fair Ag Awareness Day. It is just over 3 minutes long. It will go to the schools across the county and possibly to potential supporters. It is an excellent example of using technology to promote our programs.

The URL is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNLb0-9AB2M or you can go to youtube and enter Rockwall Youth Fair.

Barefoot Athletics - Texas 4-H's Newest Alliance Member

2011-12-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

Barefoot Athletics has been added as one of the newest alliance
members for Texas 4-H Program. Check out some of their design options
they have available http://www.barefootathletics.com/categories/Texas-4%252dH/
. You can customize any of these designs for your county or club, mix
aspects of one shirt and with another, truly make the design
yours. They also offer online ordering capability so that you
can have your members order direct from them and Barefoot will then drop ship
the order to your county office or club. If you are using the
apparal as a fundraiser, that is fine as well. You can let Meredeth know
the amount you would like the shirt to sell for, Barefoot will accept the
orders, then cut your county/club a check for the funds above the cost of the
shirt/shipping. Individual shipping is also available, but it is
more cost effective to have the entire order shipped to one location.

Meredeth is the associate designated to handle our Texas 4-H
orders so be sure and give her a call at 254-918-0511 or email meredeth@BarefootAthletics.com

Join the Aggie Wranglers at Teen Retreat! January 6-8 (Deadline is Decebmer 30)

2011-12-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

Teen Retreat in Brownwood at the 4-H Conference Center, it’s one of those great opportunities to network with other 4-H members and gain valuable knowledge at the same time! What a way to start the New Year!

Joining us will be the Texas A&M Aggie Wranglers. The Aggie Wranglers are an exhibition county and western dance team formed and run solely by A&M students. They will perform some of their unique and high energy Jitterbug routines and then, as one of the concurrent sessions, give all participants a chance to learn the moves.

Other educational workshops, to enhance your 4-H projects and to provide you the skills to be a leader for your county program include Outdoor Challenge, Leadership, SET and Wildlife Habitat Evaluation. Registration closes on December 30, so don’t delay.

To register, just go to the 4-H Conference Center website and click on the Register Now! button. Youth registration is $105, Adult chaperone is $80.

2012 4-H Volunteer Conference - Request for Workshop Proposals

2011-12-06T09:12:00.000-08:00

The conference committee is pleased to announce a request for workshop proposals for the 2012 Volunteer Conference. Any volunteer, County Extension Agent or Specialist is invited to submit a proposal to present a workshop at the conference. The deadline to submit a proposal is February 1st. More information and the online submission form can be accessed from the volunteer conference website, which is: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/volunteers/conference/volunteer_conference.php.

A Wizard at Work

2011-12-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

A Wizard at Work, by Chris Boleman

I once heard Dr. Peter Witt say that some people are just wizards…….kid wizards. In the back of mind, I always wondered if I had ever worked with one…..well, now I know.

I was the first one on the bus to introduce myself to our bus driver last week in Washington DC. She introduced herself as Monique and promptly (and firmly) shook my hand. Before I could say anything else she said, “Chris, I need your phone number.”

I replied, “Sure, but why?”

“Well sir, if I am going to help chaperone these kids, I may need to find you.”

With that, she jumped off the bus and quickly loaded every suitcase the kids had. Once back on the bus, she looked at me and asked, “where to?”

I was a bit taken aback by this because we sent a schedule and I figured we would just stick to that. So, I asked her, “Do you have the schedule?”

“Yes sir, but is that what they want to do?” pointing and nodding towards the kids on the bus.

It was that exact moment when I figured out that we were dealing with a servant leader and she was going to be awesome!

A quick wink and a nod from me and we were off and running. She grabbed the microphone and spent the next few minutes describing Washington DC to the kids. And just like that, she grabbed their attention and never lost it until we unloaded off the bus for the last time two days later.

She went with us everywhere. She protected us in the “big city.” As a matter of fact, during one meal in a mall food court, a homeless man was asking for change and before he could even get close to approaching our kids, Monique turned him around telling him to not mess with these kids.

As we toured the city, she would ask the kids what they wanted to see. As they hollered things like the White House, Watergate, Arlington Cemetery, Embassy Row, Georgetown, she made a note and before the tour ended, we saw every single thing they wanted to see. In addition, if there was a line or we were stuck in traffic, she would ask the kids trivia questions about the city or the tourist attraction we were about to see.

She captivated them, she inspired them, she challenged them, and she respected them. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my career!

It was just another reminder of the difference each of us can make when people know someone cares. For the majority of these 27 kids, this was their first trip to our nation’s capital. Some were nervous and some were even scared, but Monique made them feel at ease. It was remarkable to watch.

I will never forget Monique. She was a difference maker or better said…..she was a KID WIZARD.

The saddest and lowest point of the trip was when we had to say good-bye to Ms. Monique. As the kids exited the bus, every single one of them said thank you and gave her a big hug. When the adult chaperones exited, we were all trying not to cry. It was truly that emotional.

Her final words to me that night were also words I will never forget. She said, “Mr. Chris….those are the best kids I have ever toured.”

Very proud I thanked her and said, “And you are the best tour guide I have ever had.”

She was AWESOME!

One follow-up note. Monique will be receiving several Texas 4-H items next week. On the last night, we made her a life-long member of the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program.

DEADLINE APPROACHING: 2012 Quality Counts Multi Media Contest

2011-12-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

Reminder entries for the 2012 Quality Counts Multi Media Contest are due January 5, 2012. Top prize is a $750 savings bond. For all the details follow this link http://www.rodeohouston.com/access/livestock/downloads/2012FinalQCMediaContest.pdf.

Preliminary judging will be done by linking the videos through YouTube. For instructions on sharing private YouTube videos go to http://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?answer=157177

If you need a primer on what the videos should look like, take a look at last year's winners at: http://agrilife.org/qualitycounts/

One important note: This year's entries are not allowed to have background music. There are too many copyright problems associated with sharing the videos after music is used.

If you have any questions regarding this contest please contact Kevin Chilek at k-chilek@tamu.edu.

Texas Agricultural Product Identification Video- LIVE!

2011-11-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

An informational video about the Texas Agricultural Product Identification Contest is now LIVE on YouTube. Please feel free to view this 15 minute video to learn more about this contest. It will walk you through the rules and contest format as well as a mock contest.

Video link can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5A28Sdo558

10-11 Wildlife and Fisheries School Enrichment Program Impact

2011-11-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Wildlife and Fisheries School Enrichment Programs extend natural resources information to elementary school students across Texas. Lesson activities meet TEA-mandated Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) requirements for four module scenarios available to third, fourth and fifth grade teachers. A total of 26 module duplicates are utilized consisting of four different modules including “The White-Tailed Deer” and “Wildlife Success Stories and Endangered Species” for third grade, “Something’s Fishy” for fourth grade and “City Critters” for fifth grade. Each module consists of various teaching components including free standing displays, interactive computer programs, lesson plans, videos and testing materials.

Demographically, the 2,346 student participants were male (51%) and female (49%). Ethnically, the student sample was Caucasian (34%), African-American (10%), Asian (1%), Hispanic (54%), American Indian (< 1%), Middle Eastern (< 1%) and other (< 1%). During the 2010-11 school year, students exhibited statistically significant (p < 0.05) knowledge gains (%) based on pre/post test evaluations for all modules: White-tailed Deer (70%), Wildlife Success Stories and Endangered Species (57%), Something’s Fishy (52%) and City Critters (32%). Although provided at no charge to the 143 teachers participating from 58 different elementary school campuses in 14 counties, teachers estimated a cumulative value of having access to these research-based school enrichment programs at $35,451 for the 2010-11 school year.

For those CEAS that utilized one or more of these modules during the last (2010-11) school year, the data summaries by module and by county are available at the following website:

https://eit-data.tamu.edu/FourH/menu1011scanned.asp.

Special thanks to Rey Santos, Paul Pope and Jean Suh for providing data management and analyses services for this program effort.

For more information, please contact Dr. Billy Higginbotham

Texas 4-H Record Keeping

2011-11-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

The new Texas 4-H record-keeping system is off to a great start and has been receiving favorable reviews from agents and families alike. Jodi McManus and I would like to thank everyone for their participation in recent Centra trainings and for providing excellent feedback and suggestions for future enhancements. Approximately 100 Extension employees attended the online training sessions. I also want to thank each of you for leading trainings in your own counties, and encouraging your families to adopt a new 4-H record-keeping system.

Each of the four recordbook trainings have been recorded and are available for public viewing on our Extension Centra site. In addition, one of those videos has been edited into smaller segments and placed on YouTube. Those videos are linked on the 4hreports.com website.

At the time of this update, 551 family profiles have been created on the website and 1,110 individual report forms have been created. To get a visual of where those individuals are located, a map of user zip codes has been created and can be viewed here: http://gmaps.kaeding.name/saved/4hreport

In a year of significant changes to our state 4-H program, we thank each of you for your support and efforts in encouraging 4-H families to adopt new practices. That method is the foundation and mission of Extension teaching, and is what we do best!

Derrick Bruton, Extension 4-H Program Specialist

New 4-H Dog Project Information Available

2011-11-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon,

We are excited about the dog project activities that are coming up this year. One of the biggest is the Texas 4-H Dog Show in July. It will be held July 13-15, 2012 in Conroe, Texas. The 2012 Rulebook is in the final stages and we hope to have it posted by the first part of December.

The Texas 4-H Dog Project Certification form must be completed and submitted to the Texas AgriLife Extension County Office by January 10, 2012 to be eligible for the Texas 4-H Dog Show. Even if a member has not yet decided to participate in the Texas 4-H Dog Show, it is recommended to complete the form(s) so the opportunity is still available in April/May when registration for the Dog Show is due.

The first page is the Certification Form designed to be completed one per family. If the dog is registered, a copy of the registration form should be attached to this page. If the dog is not registered, the second page will need to be completed with photographs of the dog. One Non Registered/Non-Purebred form must be completed per dog.

These forms will be maintained in the county. At the time of Texas 4-H Dog Show Registration, County Extension Agents will refer to these forms to verify certification and approve registration.

This form is available at:

http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/dogshow/index_youth_dogshow.php

If you have in interest in 4-H Dog Project activities, please bookmark this page. We will be working towards making this a clearing house of events and opportunities. If you have an event you would like posted here, please send it to me for posting.

2012 Texas 4-H Golf Challenge State Event Announced

2011-11-15T15:21:00.001-08:00

Texas 4-H is excited to announce the 1st ever State Qualifying Texas 4-H Golf Challenge will be held Monday, August 6, 2012. The location for the event is currently being determined and will be released as soon as it is available.

This state qualifying event will be open to the top five teams qualifying in each of the four regional events hosted throughout the state. Qualifying teams may be made up of senior and intermediate youth (4-Hers and non - 4-Hers). Those wishing to qualify do not have to participate in the region they live in. Also, teams may participate in more than one regional event.

For more information on the Texas 4-H Golf Challenge please visit the following website:
http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/youth/golf_challenge/index_youth_golf.php

$500 Texas 4-H Program Grants Applications due December 15th

2011-11-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

The Texas 4-H Foundation & Texas 4-H Friends and Alumni Association are excited about the continued success of their joint effort of providing $500 Texas 4-H Program Support Grants three times per year to 27 counties annually. The Board of Trustees met last week here in College Station, TX and approved 9 applications. There were 25 applications submitted this round. I encourage counties to continue submitting at this rate. If the Grant Committee continues to see a trend in the number of grants submitted, they plan to propose to the full board to increase the number awarded annually. The past few cycles, less applications were received than the Grant Committee was authorized to fund.

The Grant Committee will be meeting on January 8-9, 2012 during the Texas 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees Meeting. The Grants Committee voted to move the annual deadline from January 1 to December 15 deadline. This will allow them enough time to review the grants individually before their January 8th meeting.

Remember when developing your grant, the committee looks at these areas of focus when making their selection:

· Strengthening clubs - Utilizing the knowledge of the human growth and development process to create environments that help youth reach their full potential. This will be done through the development of youth and adult leadership programs, focusing on both young youth as well as high school age youth and the development packaged programs (ie PULSE, WAT, Yea 4-H, Wildlife & Fisheries, Environmental Education, etc).
· Expanding Outreach efforts - Provide an introduction to the 4-H program through
activities that reflect current youth trends and interest. Programs that provide opportunities for youth to be involved in special interest groups and provide outreach programs within the school systems targeted at specific grade levels.
· Marketing and Technology - Utilize technology to reach new audiences and market the
4-H program within your community to attract a wide diverse audience. Providing opportunities for members to be interactive through technology such as GPS and other multimedia activities.
· Projects and Opportunities - Development of support materials and learning opportunities targeted to project areas of interest to youth.

· Engaging Volunteers - Volunteer training opportunities and orientation programs which engage volunteers. Development of short-term volunteer opportunities along with long-term. Increased training and resources to help volunteers understand their roles and responsibilities.
· Program Development - Planning, implementing and evaluating programs that achieve youth development outcomes. Facilitating the program development process through county 4-H programs.

Here is a list of some of the factors that the Grant Committee members consider when they are reviewing the applications to determine ranking. These are intended to help you better know what they are looking for within your grant application narratives.
· Number of youth involved
· Positive value to 4-H image and to those involved
· Creativity of the project
· Ingenuity and previous effort of fund raising
· Impact of $500 on project for which funds are to be used
· Will it increase awareness of 4-H in area and/or state

General Information regarding the Grant Process:
· The Texas 4-H Program Support Grants are reimbursable grants, meaning that you will be required to complete the project and provide to the Texas 4-H Foundation a Grant
Progress Report (which will be provided to you when you are notified of your grant approval) along with copies of receipts before your check will be received.
· Effective June 2008, to be considered for a Texas 4-H Program Support Grant, the Extension Employee and/or Project Coordinator MUST be a current member of the
Texas 4-H Friends & Alumni Association.
· Applications will be accepted 3 times per year, December 15 (changed effective 11/7/2011), May 1 and September 1 which corresponds to the Texas 4-H Foundation’s meetings.
· A recipient will be eligible to receive only 1 (one) grant per year which will be either from the Texas 4-H Foundation or Texas 4-H Friends & Alumni Association.
· Only one application is required to be considered for funding from the Foundation and Association. Both the Texas 4-H Foundation and the Texas 4-H Friends and Alumni
Association have separate funding to award such grants. The Grant Committee will award the grants and assign where the funding will come from accordingly.
· Once awarded a recipient will have 1 (one) year to complete their project and request their funds. If the funds are not requested within the year following approval, then the funds will be returned to the program support grant pool of funds.
· If you have special circumstances which you would like considered in regards to any of the above policy, please feel free to contact Jana Barrett at 979-845-1213 and we can visit regarding your individual circumstances.

2012 Texas 4-H Veterinary Science Skillathon Application and Guidelines - POSTED ONLINE

2011-11-11T06:56:00.001-08:00

We are pleased to announce the release of the 2012 Texas 4-H Veterinary Science Skillathon Application and Guidelines! This is an exciting, hands-on contest for youth in the Veterinary Science project to showcase their skills in a little friendly competition! Please forward this information onto your 4-H Veterinary Science project leaders and 4-H members.

A few important dates:

· Friday, March 16, 2012: Postmark deadline for Application

· Early April 2012: Applicants will be notified of acceptance

· April 11-May 9, 2012: Regular Registration Period for Texas 4-H Roundup

· Thursday, June 14, 2012: Veterinary Science Skillathon Contest at Texas 4-H Roundup

Applications can be found online at:

http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/projects/index_projects.php

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Good luck!

Dr. Faries, Laura, & Garry

__________________________
Laura A. Huebinger, M.S.
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Extension Program Specialist
4-H & Youth Development
Central District 8
1229 North US Highway 281
Stephenville, Texas 76401
254.968.4144
254.965.3759 (Fax)
lhuebinger@ag.tamu.edu
http://stephenville.tamu.edu

Ag Products CENTRA Recording--Now Available!

2011-11-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

As the Ag Products ID Contest continues to generate interest, more and more people are wanting to find out how to implement this project in their counties. Rules, guidelines, and teaching resources for this upcoming contest will be covered during this informative session!

We just completed a contest at the State Fair of Texas, and The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo will be hosting one during their show. To learn more about this upcoming contest please view the link below.

This information is from a CENTRA held this week by Dr. Chris Boleman and Amy Dromgoole. The entire contest is outlined as well as some information regarding the Texas Proud of Texas Agriculture program--which ties into this contest nicely.

http://webconference.tamus.edu/GP/main/0000001786550000013304b01fb38c8b

*If you would like more information about the contest, a copy of the PowerPoint used in the CENTRA, or a PDF of some sample contests, please contact Amy Dromgoole at amy.dromgoole@tamu.edu.

4-H FCS 101 Centra Series - Consumer Education and Clothing & Textiles

2011-11-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

The Texas 4-H & Youth Development Program places great value on the 4-H Family and Consumer Science projects. These projects expose 4-H members to the academic disciplines of family and consumer science and help them gain valuable skills and knowledge that can be applied to daily life. Under the 4-H FCS 101 Initiative, resources and training have been developed to support new County Extension Agents in understanding the 4-H FCS Projects and how to manage them. We have found these resources to be useful for new and experienced agents, whether your title is FCS, 4-H, UYD, or Ag/NR.

We have two upcoming Centra trainings that we would like to share with you.

The first is Consumer Education on Wednesday, November 30th, at 1:30 p.m. The training will be conducted via Centra Symposium (Event ID: PSP364796 ). During this Centra training you will have the opportunity to look inside the 4-H Consumer Education project, develop an understanding of the project objectives, be aware of the project curriculum that is available, review the Consumer Decision Making contest and look at youth consumer education activities that can be done with all youth in your communities. With financial literacy being named as one of the top issues facing Texas it is important to that each of us have a good understanding of the resources that are available to help increase the financial capabilities of the youth in our state.

The second training is Clothing and Textiles on Thursday, December 1^st, at 1:00 p.m. The training will be conducted via Centra Symposium (Event ID: MLL328140). This Centra training will provide an overview of the project, discuss clothing and textiles project activities, look at the future of the clothing and textiles contests and review the current contests and opportunities.

Prior to the training, we invite you to take a look at the 4-H FCS 101 Resource Guide, which is available online at: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/agents/fcs_101/index_fcs101.php. All 4-H FCS 101 training are recorded and can be shared with volunteers.

If you have any questions about this training or 4-H FCS 101, please let us know. We look forward to your participation in this training.

Texas AgriLife Extension Online Horse Judging is Back!

2011-11-04T15:32:00.001-07:00

Online Horse Judging

The Texas AgriLife Extension Online Horse Judging is back!

The Texas AgriLife Extension Online Horse Judging videos are designed to assist horse judging team coaches and judging team members in their quest to become more knowledgeable and more skilled judges. Started in October 2006, the videos have served as a valuable resource for horse judging teams in Texas and many other states.

The videos are now available for purchase in one of two course formats. Texas AgriLife Extension Online Horse Judging Archives includes 87 archived videos plus a new set of videos each month for a period of 365 days. Topics include: halter, western pleasure, hunter under saddle, western horsemanship, hunt seat equitation, reining, western riding, and trail. The cost is $200 per year. Texas AgriLife Extension Online Horse Judging Monthly includes a new set of videos available for a period of 30 days. The cost is $20 per month.

The new videos for November 2011 cover the topic of reining. Background information, score sheets/placing cards, and practice videos are included in the courses. Videos include: Introduction to Maneuvers; Introduction to Penalties; Introduction to Scoring; Reining – Class 1 – 2 Horses (Practice class, Critique, Reasons); Reining – Class 1 – 4 Horses (Practice class, Critique, Reasons); Penalty Test – Circles and Test Answers; Penalty Test – Rollbacks and Test Answers; Penalty Test – Spins and Test Answers.

To register, go to https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu . Click "Online Courses" and scroll down the page to find the course. Credit cards are the only accepted method of payment for online courses. Once registered, you will be provided with instructions on how to access the course on the eXtension website: http://campus.extension.org/ .

Similar instructions will be provided on our equine science website, where the videos were previously located, early next week.
http://animalscience.tamu.edu/academics/equine/index.htm

If you have any questions about the courses or the enrollment process, please contact Teri Antilley, Horse Program Specialist, at tjantilley@ag.tamu.edu or 979-845-5264.

Teri Antilley
Extension Horse Program Specialist
2471 TAMU, 249 Kleberg
College Station, TX 77843-2471
tjantilley@ag.tamu.edu
979-845-5264 office
979-458-2756 fax

4-H Healthy Lifestyles Invitational Classes and Resources Announced

2011-11-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

The classes and supporting resources for the 2012 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Invitational Contest have been set and are now available. The contest manual and resources are available online at: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/healthy_lifestyles/index.php. Classes from the 2010 and 2011 contests are still available online for use in learning about and preparing for the contest. A Centra Symposium training about this contest will also be held on Wednesday, February 8, 2012, at 10:00 am.

The 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Invitational Contest is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 14th during the 2012 Texas 4-H Roundup. Pre-qualification is not required to participate in this contest, which is open to intermediate and senior 4-H members.

If you have any questions about the 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Invitational, please contact Courtney Dodd at 979.845.6533 or cfdodd@ag.tamu.edu.

Waller and Washington County 4-H'ers Shine at the Kansas Royal

2011-11-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

On October 25, 2011, Texas 4-H’ers competed at the 2011 American Royal 4-H & FFA National 4-H Meat and Livestock Judging Competition in Manhattan, Kan. Both teams excelled by receiving top honors in both team and individual categories.

Waller County 4-H’ers brought home a National Championship in Meat Judging. The best 4-H meat judging teams from all over the nation came to vie for the honor which included teams from as far away as Florida and Michigan. The Waller County 4-H Meat Judging team composed of Ryan King, Connor King, Miranda Jones, and Melvin Oestreich. This team was coached by Waller county Extension agent, Cody Dennison.

Photo from L to R: Extension Agent &Coach, Cody Dennison, Ryan King, Miranda Jones,

Melvin Oestreich, and Connor King.

Individual highlights included Ryan King, winning 1st place high point individual overall and 1st place in oral reasons. Miranda Jones won 2nd place high point individual overall and tied for 2nd place in oral reasons. Connor King tied for 5th place in total judging, and Melvin Oestreich placed 3rd place in total pork judging.

The Washington County team competed in Livestock Judging consisted of senior 4-H members, Sarah Weiss, Whitney Grantham, Payton Warmke, and Preston Voskamp placed 3^rd overall. The team was coached by Casey Voskamp. Other team honors include 4th place in the Sheep division, 2nd in the Swine division, and 5th in both the beef and team reason divisions.

Photo from L to R: Sarah Weiss, Whitney Grantham, Payton Warmke, and Preston Voskamp

Sarah Weiss received 3^rd place individually in the swine division and 7^th place as an overall individual. Whitney Grantham received 3^rd place in the sheep division and 16^th place overall individual. Additionally, Payton Warmke received 9^th overall individual while Preston Voskamp received 20^th.

Texas 4-H is proud to welcome these two teams back to Texas with these top honors. This experience was undoubtedly one that will not be forgotten by these talented Texas 4-H’ers!

New 4-H FCS Project Toolkit!

2011-11-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

The Texas 4-H & Youth Development Program places great value on the 4-H Family and Consumer Sciences projects. These projects expose 4-H members to the academic disciplines for family and consumer science and help them gain valuable skills and knowledge that can be applied to daily life.

We are pleased to introduce the 4-H FCS Project Toolkit. This online resource was developed by volunteers and county Extension agents to use when managing and leading 4-H FCS projects at the county level. General project information is provided as well as projects resources, lesson plans and activities for each of the seven 4-H FCS projects. The site also allows volunteers to offer feedback, ask a question or share an idea - which can then be posted on the toolkit site. The direct link to the 4-H FCS Project Toolkit is: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/volunteers/fcs/index.php.

This toolkit will continue to be updated and further developed as new activities and resources are added to it, offering a variety of resources for volunteers. This information is included in the November issue of the 4-H Standard, but we hope you will share this information directly with your 4-H FCS project leaders and volunteers.

Please contact Courtney Dodd or Angela McCorkle with any questions.

2012 National 4-H Conference Applications Accepted Now!!

2011-10-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

Texas 4-H is pleased to announce that tomorrow Friday, October 28, 2011 registration for applications for the 2012 National 4-H Conference will open. The National 4-H Conference is the Secretary of Agriculture’s premier youth development opportunity to engage youth in developing recommendations for the 4-H Youth Development Program.

This year's conference will be held March 24-28, 2012 at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The cost to attend this trip is $1,800. This includes airfare, transportation, lodging, event registration, and most meals. Registration will close November 25, 2011 with delegates being announced around December 6th. Please pass this information on to youth that are eligible to attend. For more information please visit the following website http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/youth/natconference/index_youth_natconference.php .

Agriculture Product ID Contest CENTRA

2011-10-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

We just completed a contest at the State Fair of Texas, and The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo will be hosting one during their show. To learn more about this upcoming contest, join me and Dr. Chris Boleman on a CENTRA on November 9, at 10 am.

You can register for this event at:

http://165.95.250.7/GA/main/0000001786550000013304b01fb38c8b

Event ID: KHN267109

Thanks,

Winning with Nutrition Curriculum Updated!

2011-10-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Winning with Nutrition (sports nutrition) curriculum has been updated and is now available online (on the publications-enrichment curriculum page). The direct link to the web page is: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/publications/enrichment/index.php. The updated curriculum now reflects MyPlate and other edits that needed to be made.

Besides the curriculum package itself, other resources include:
- Promotional Flyer
- Powerpoint presentation to support each lesson
- Teacher inservice agenda, powerpoint and evaluation
- Scannable evaluation form

If you have any questions about the sports nutrition program, please contact Courtney Dodd at 979-845-6533 or cfdodd@ag.tamu.edu.

2nd Annual National 4-H and FFA Beef Quiz Bowl Contest - March 1 and 2 at HLSR

2011-10-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

To: Texas AgriLife County Extension Agents and Ag Science Teachers

ANNOUNCING: The 2nd Annual National 4-H and FFA Beef Quiz Bowl Contest March 1 & 2, 2012 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

This contest is open to all Texas 4-H and FFA members meeting basic 4-H and FFA age requirements. Other States are invited to send up to 3 teams representing 4-H and FFA, making this a truly national competition. Awards will include trophy buckles and gift certificates along with National bragging rights.

The highlight of this competition is a guided tour and educational program at the historic George Ranch in Richmond Tx. This educational experience is included in the entry fee for contestants and coaches.

This competition requires a team of 3 to 4 competitors, and Entries are Due to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo by January 5, 2012.

For more information about resources, entry forms etc. go to: http://agrilife.org/beefquiz/

For more information, please contact Kevin Chilek.

Thanks,

Chris

ONLINE RECORDBOOK SYSTEM AVAILABLE NOW!

2011-10-20T14:42:00.001-07:00

This is AWESOME!

This will help out many families, especially those just getting started!

Rah, rah, rah! I love it!

This is GREAT! Very user friendly!

…just a few quotes from Extension Staff training this week!

The new online recordbook system is available NOW for 4-H members to start recording project events & activities for the current 4-H year. The new recordkeeping/recordbook system includes 3 different report forms based on a member's 4-H age. The forms are designed to be age appropriate and user-friendly for youth, hoping to ease the stress and household fights among parents and their kids :o). Only the current year information is required on the forms.

We strongly encourage youth to log on to the system now and start entering project goals, events and activities as they occur. The forms, an instructional guide, and short instructional videos can be accessed at http://4hreports.com .

A Recordbook Revision Overview presentation is available to agents to use for local trainings and is being emailed to agents at the conclusion of the Centra trainings for Extension Staff. Additional staff trainings will be held via Centra on October 26, November 2, and November 9 from 1:30-3:00 p.m.

4-H Recipe Rally Online Training Video

2011-10-19T12:53:00.001-07:00

Want to know more about the 4-H Recipe Rally?

You can view an online training at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-u0c1hfz-0. The video is less than 8 minutes, so it won't take too much time to learn the basics about the opportunity presented to intermediate and senior 4-H members.

The video is also linked on the 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Program Page, under the Recipe Rally section. The direct link to the page is: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/healthy_lifestyles/index.php.

A one-page overview is also available on the 4-H healthy lifestyles page, in addition to:
- 4-H Recipe Rally Scoresheet
- Instructions on how to post a video to YouTube
- Sample Recipe Rally Video

Please contact Courtney Dodd at 979-845-6533 or cfdodd@ag.tamu.edu if you have any questions about the Recipe Rally.

MyPlate and the Food Challenge

2011-10-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of questions about MyPlate being incorporated into some 4-H contests, such as the Food Challenge. The confusion center around the fact that MyPlate does not indicate how many servings from each food group one needs on a daily basis. This information has not changed since MyPyramid was replaced with MyPlate.

In the back of the Food Challenge rules and guidelines, there is a list of resources that Food Challenge teams will be provided at the contest, and there is a list of suggested resources they need to study prior to the contest. One of those is www.choosemyplate.gov. At this site, they can access information on how many servings are recommended daily. This is information they need to know to include in their team presentations! Ideally, I am hoping this is a part of their learning experiences in the food & nutrition project.

To access this information, go to: www.choosemyplate.gov.
Click on "food groups" on the left-hand side of the screen.
Then, click on any food group. (You'll go through this process for each food group.)
When information about that particular food group comes up, there will be several links on the right-hand side of the screen. One of them is "how much is needed." Click on that and then click again on "click here to see chart" (in the middle of the page).
There's your chart! They need to view this and learn this information for each food group.

A video that talks about this has also been created. It's located at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdHTH1A5mlc .

Support Video for the 4-H Food Challenge

2011-10-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

A new video has been posted in support of the 4-H Food Challenge. The video features an item-by-item demonstration of what goes in every Food Challenge box. You can share this with 4-H members and leaders to help/guide them in assembling their Supply Box.

Thanks to Nora Garza in Hidalgo County, and the two 4-H members, Onelisa Garza & Clarissa Olivares , for taking the time to film the video. We hope you find this useful.

Here is a direct link…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouBd6VHIsBo

Congrats to Luis Saldana and the folks in District 12 for leading this effort.

one day 4-H 2011 - What a Success!

2011-10-13T18:54:00.001-07:00

Can 4-H make a difference in one day? Once again, it looks like Texas 4-H members can! Over 240 projects involving more than an estimated 9,000 4-H members were pre-registered by the time October 8th rolled around. Thank you to all the county Extension Offices and Agents providing support and resources to these projects as the did make the difference in your county and our state.

As the coordinators are finished with their projects we would ask that you please remind them to report their success on the one day 4-H report website. These results will be compiled into our third year report and shared throughout our state and country with stakeholders, elected officials, donors, and others. The link to the reporting site can be found at: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/oneday/oneday_evaluation.php

The state 4-H Office will be posting to the one day 4-H website a list of all projects to allow county Extension Offices/Agents to see who from their county is already completed the report. By completing the report, projects are entered into consideration for cash awards awarded annually to projects performing unique, creativity, and successfully projects.

We also ask that if any of the projects have photos of their events that the please share them with the Texas 4-H Program. They can be emailed to Toby Lepley at t-lepley@tamu.edu. These photos are great for use in interpreting the event in the presentations and publications created to promote it.

Thanks again for your support of one day 4-H in 2011 and put OCTOBER 13, 2012 on your calendar now for the fourth annual one day 4-H!

New Consumer Decision Making Website

2011-10-05T14:26:00.001-07:00

The link for the new Consumer Decision Making page is up and running on the 4-H website.

The link is: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/consumer/consumer_decision_making.php

Thank you to Toby Lepley and Misty Cathey for getting all of the corrections and changes made to the new website. The new study guide and list of classes are available on the new website.

Luis Saldana, Michael Clawson and Andy Hart will be running the contest this year and we hope to be able to assist each of you with any questions that you might have as you are preparing your Consumer Decision Making teams this year.

Are you Quality Counts Verified?

2011-10-01T13:51:00.001-07:00

Major show entries are going to be due soon, and as you know Quality Counts Verification is an important part of this year's entry process. All youth exhibiting livestock at Major Livestock Shows in 2012 must be "Verified" in Quality Counts prior to entry.

As of today there are over 13,000 youth verified in the Quality Counts system… That's a number we can celebrate, largely due to your effort.

Now is the time for one more push to get this done before major show entries are due.

At http://qualitycounts.tamu.edu/ you can find slide shows and links to on line support for teaching Quality Counts. And don't forget about "Texas Trails". If a young person completes the Texas Trails on line modules they will most certainly pass the verification test.

At the Quality Counts web site you will also find an FAQ sheet to answer most questions parents and youth may have. If you have concerns regarding verification be sure and contact Kevin Chilek for clarification.

Welcome to the Real World Financial Simulation

2011-09-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

“Welcome to the Real World Financial Simulation” Centra will be held on Oct. 11, 2011. This Centra is intended for any agent that is interested in adopting “From the Classroom to the Real World” youth financial literacy model plan. The model plan is designed to incorporate financial education in the classroom with a “real life” experience without the real life consequences. In the arena of youth financial education it is important to focus educational efforts on topics that are of immediate importance to the students. The main teaching points of the program: careers , budgeting and basic money management are of great interest to high school seniors that are either ready for the work world or to begin their post-secondary education.

During the Centra we will cover the general frame work of the program, how to promote the program to your schools, teacher buy-in and training, community involvement, program materials and tools for measuring the program impact.

I would invite you to attend the Centra and also to encourage agents in your district or region that are interested in working with youth financial literacy to attend. I will also be sending an e-mail out to all the agents, but encouragement from RPD’s and 4-H Specialist would be appreciated.

For more information about the model plan sign-up to attend the Centra training:

Welcome to the Real World Financial Simulation

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Event ID KLM462328

If you have questions, please contact Angela McCorkle.

2011-2012 4-H YEAR CHARTERING

2011-09-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Effective for the 2011-2012 Texas 4-H Year, the CHARTERING process will remain the same as it has in the past. The deadline for ALL 4-H clubs/groups to be fully chartered in 4-H CONNECT is December 1, 2011

The 4-H Chartering process is a legal event which allows faculty to verify the financial, business (with list of officers, volunteers, etc.) and legal documentation for each group operating in the name of 4-H. The chartering of a local 4-H club or group by the Texas 4-H Office allows the club or group to be authorized to use the 4-H name and emblem. To help explain the complete process of chartering to both Extension staff and our clientele, a Chartering Instruction and Guideline booklet has been prepared and is posted under the AGENT page of the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Website.

You are encouraged to work with your club managers, project leaders, and other 4-H groups to explain the importance and requirement of chartering, as well of the process that your County Extension Office will be using to receive and update information so it can be revised in 4-H CONNECT. To update charters in 4-H CONNECT, a county office will need to log into 4-H CONNECT, click on the "Clubs" icon and then the "Edit" button beside the club you are wishing to update. Be sure to click "Save" before leaving the screen.

What is required for a 4-H Club to receive a charter:

Five or more members (must be from more than one family)
Two or more teen and/or adult club managers
Meeting place identified (for at least next three months)
Elected Officers
Each member enrolled in at least one 4-H project
By-laws which contains a dissolution clause
Bank account location
Bank Account has two (2) signatures (not from the same family)
Bank Account Type (Checking/Savings)
Bank Account Number
Annual Financial Review Report (Audit)
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Club Name
Responsible Person's Name
Club/Groups Full Mailing Address

The document has all the details as well as all necessary forms to provide to your club managers to complete the process.

While all information is updated on 4-H CONNECT, the county office should maintain either a physical file or a scanned file with all club chartering information in case it is needed.

If you have any questions about the chartering process or need assistance please feel free to contact either the Texas 4-H State Office or your District 4-H Specialist.

Anderson Bean 4-H Boot - 10% Discout

2011-09-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Please pass this along on to any 4-H groups you have that would be interested in purchasing the Anderson Bean Horse Power 4-H boots.  There is a 10% discount for registered 4-H members.

http://campaigns.ratepoint.com/campaigns/0551b4185cc2cd1c813a025c3bf0d304?pm=1&r=6a8895ff15c6b0fff0950ca61811b586

South Texas Dog Project Clinic

2011-09-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

The link below provides the flyer for the South Texas Dog Project Clinic in Kingsville, Texas on November 19, 2011. In addition to the information included on the flyer, we would like to invite County Extension Agents to participate at no cost. This is a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of the dog project and the various activities and opportunities available to them.

http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/youth/dogshow/index_youth_dogshow.php

We hope this will be a model program that we can duplicate across the state. If you would be interested in hosting such an event, please let me know.

2011-09-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

2012 Texas 4-H Photography Contest Rules and Regulations

The 2012 Texas 4-H Photography Contest rules and guidelines have been released and are available for download from the Texas 4-H website - Photography Page.

Significant changes and/or updates for the 2012 contest include:

Theme Category is TRAINS. This theme allows 4-H members to take photos of all types of trains. The train theme includes both real and model trains. Photo subject must be either the engine or a train car. Photos of train accessories such as stations/depots, signs, tracks, etc are not allowed.
STORY BOARD has been added back as a category.
Formatting of photos has been simplified. In 2012 all photos must be able to be printed at a 300 dpi at a 3 X 5 inch size. Max memory size of 1.5MB.
Both entry form and uploading of photos will all be done on 4-H CONNECT.
Time period for entry will be from April 1, 2012 to April 15, 2012.

Please feel free to contact Toby Lepley in the Texas 4-H Office if you have any questions.

2011-09-22T10:53:00.001-07:00

2011 Texas 4-H Billboards are Going Up!

The first of the billboards are now being placed around Texas starting this week. Currently, three of them of are located in the Wichita Falls areas (see photos below). Over the next couple of weeks more than 30 billboards will be placed throughout Texas with three of them being the largest billboard size on I35 in Austin and two on the interstates in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area. For a complete list of those sponsorship billboards this year visit the Billboards Across Texas website.

Are You Interested in a Dairy Quiz Bowl?

2011-09-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

There seems to be interest in hosting a state-wide dairy quiz bowl invitational at the 2012 Round Up in Lubbock. We need your help in estimating the interest and potential participation for the competition. We have proposed that there needs to be at least ten teams to have a viable contest.

The National 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl is held in Louisville, Ky., each year in November. Information on the national competition is available at:http://www2.ca.uky.edu/AFSdairy/NorthAmerican/registration The teams placing first at the Texas 4-H invitational competition could advance to the national level for 2012 Contest.

If you are aware of Intermediate and Senior age 4-H members in your county who participate in the Holstein competition or may be interested in forming a team and competing, please confirm their interest and let us know by 5 p.m. on Monday, September 26th.

This is the first step of the process to make the opportunity available to Texas 4-Hers; without a confirmed interest, we will not proceed to develop a program.

Thank you,

Kelli Lehman

TEEA Presents the Texas 4-H Center a $7,886.71 Check

2011-09-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

TEEA – do you know them? Since their first scholarship awarded in 1927, TEEA (known by other names over the years) has been a generous supporter of the 4-H Youth Development Program. "The mission of the Texas Extension Education Association Inc. is to work with the Texas AgriLife Extension to strengthen and enrich families through educational programs, leadership development and community service." Your immediate knowledge of them may be as judges for the 4-H Fashion Show or Food Show. Members also volunteer at the county fair, presenting workshops or coordinating entries for homemaking shows.

TEEA has been a strong donor for the 4-H Conference Center, contributing over $60,000 to the 4-H Center for program enhancements. Their dedication continues to this day. On September 15, 2011 TEEA presented Dr. Darlene Locke, Director of the 4-H Center with a check for $7,886.71. The funds are collected annually through the “Coins for Friendship” program. At monthly meetings throughout TEEA’s statewide network, members collect loose change from their wallets and coin purses. This year’s donation will go towards new dormitory furnishings at the 4-H Center. Thank you to all the members of TEEA for their continued commitment to the 4-H Conference Center and the Texas 4-H Youth Development Program.

2012 Roundup Logo and Theme Contest Deadline Approaching!

2011-09-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Want to make your mark on the 2012 Texas 4-H Roundup? If so, enter the 2012 Texas 4-H Roundup Logo and Theme Contest. The deadline for submissions for the logo and theme contest is quickly approaching. All logos and themes must be submitted to the State 4-H Office no later than October 3rd. Don't miss out on this great opportunity. Visit the following site for more information.

http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/youth/roundup/index.php

2012 Food Show 4-H Study Guide Available

2011-09-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

Please share with your FCS and 4-H agents a new 4-H Food Show resource that has been developed to help leaders and participants prepare for State Food Show.

2012 Food Show 4H Study Guide is located at

http://fcs.tamu.edu/food_and_nutrition/pdf/2012-state-4h-food-show-study-guide.pdf